1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 15 shows an example of a connector for use in a harness for connecting an antenna to a receiver mounted on a vehicle body. The connector has a housing 2 that accommodates a terminal 1 connected to a coaxial electric wire W. The housing 2 has an insertion opening 4 that permits insertion of a socket 3 into the housing 2 from above and hence permits electrical connection of the socket 3 to the terminal 1. The terminal 1 is L-shaped and has an inner electric conductor 5 and an outer electric conductor 6 insulated therefrom. A right-hand part of each of the inner electric conductor 5 and the outer electric conductor 6 is connected to a core wire of the coaxial electric wire W and to a shielding layer, whereas a left-hand part thereof is disposed inside the insertion opening 4 and conductive to the socket 3. The left-hand part of the inner electric conductor 5 is erect in the shape of a column, whereas the left-hand part of the outer electric conductor 6 has a plurality of cantilevered contact pieces 7 surrounding the columnar portion of the inner electric conductor 5. The socket 3 can be fitted in the left-hand part of the outer electric conductor 6.
An example of the connector of this kind is described in SE, 503721, C2.
The insertion opening 4 of the above-described connector is open upward. Thus, the contact piece 7 of the terminal 1 is exposed to the upper outside. This construction may cause the socket 3 to strike against the leading end of the contact piece 7 while inserting the socket 3 into the insertion opening 4, if for some reason the socket 3 is dislocated radially from a predetermined position at which the socket 3 matches the insertion opening 4.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described situation. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to prevent deformation of a contact piece.
The present invention is directed a connector with a housing that has an insertion opening into which a socket can be inserted. A terminal is accommodated in the housing by disposing the terminal in the insertion opening. The terminal has a plurality of contact pieces that are disposed annularly. The socket pieces receive the socket inserted into the insertion opening, and are capable of contacting a peripheral surface of the socket. Protruded portions are formed on an inner peripheral surface of the insertion opening. The protruded portions radially overlap the respective contact pieces and are disposed at a side forward from the contact pieces in an insertion direction of the socket. A guide surface is formed on an outer edge of the protruded portion for guiding the socket to a predetermined position at which the socket matches the insertion opening.
It is preferable that the contact pieces lock to the protruded portions when the terminal is accommodated in the housing at a predetermined depth. Thus, the terminal is held unremovably.
It is also preferable that radially elastically deformable elastic pieces are formed on an end of the insertion opening. The protruded portions are formed on inner surfaces of the respective elastic pieces.
The socket is inserted into the insertion opening, with the terminal accommodated in the housing. Thus, the socket is received in the annular space surrounded with the contact pieces, and the contact pieces contact the peripheral surface of the socket. The socket may be inserted into the insertion opening with the axis of the socket dislocated from the predetermined position. In this situation, the socket slides on the guide surface of the protruded portion before the socket interferes with the contact piece. Thus, the socket is placed automatically at a predetermined position. Accordingly it is possible to prevent the socket from striking against the contact piece, with the socket being uncoaxial with the insertion opening and deforming the contact piece.
The contact piece and the protruded portion are locked to each other. Therefore, it is possible to hold the terminal firmly in the housing.
The elastic piece deforms outward elastically as the terminal presses the protruded portion. Thus a terminal accommodation operation is permitted. The elastic piece returns to its original state when the terminal passes the protruded portion. Accordingly, it is easy to perform the operation of accommodating the terminal in the housing.